The Light is Fading
by LoneWriter0198
Summary: Team RWBY finds that Salem is planning a full scale takeover of Remnant, darkness already covers half the uncharted land of the continent, but will they be able to fight against her power?


**I do not own RWBY in any way, shape or form.**

 **I didn't forget to mention that I don't own RWBY? NO? Wow...**

A red cloak flew in the wind, the only sound was the wind's whistling and low growling. The cloak fluttered from the back of a rather young looking girl, the growling from hordes of Grimm. At the sight of this large group, the girl peered around, silver eyes glowing as she did so, she aimed an upward slash for one of the many Grimm before her. Her scythe connected swiftly and fatally, she rent the dark beast in half, the girl flowing onwards to the next one. Her strikes moved quickly, reducing the ever growing horde of Grimm surrounding her, she cut a path through the mob, moving forward through the ashen forest about. She shot forward, becoming a tornado of death as the blurred blade of her scythe and rose petals spun out around her, the weapon felled quantities of the darkness surrounding. A strained grunt escaped the girl's throat as she shot at the empty air above her, sending her into a nosedive for the forest floor. She spun as she landed shifting the Grimm around her into a circle shaped perimeter. Grayish-red blood spattered against the ground as a grim smirk spread across the girl's lips, streaks of Grimm blood standing out on her pale face, she took up a defensive stance, ready to take on the growing horde.

Ruby opened her eyes gradually to the black expanse of her duvet, she sat up, pushing the covers off of her, the girl looked around to the three other members in her dormitory. She sighed, her high pitched voice drawing raise from Weiss, a sigh escaped the girl below her. Ruby hopped off the edge of the bed and landed on tiptoes, she looked around the room and quietly got dressed making sure not to bump anything. Once dressed in a pair of skinny jeans and a red t-shirt, Ruby walked out of the dorm and shut the door with a click. Steps muffled by soft carpet flooring sounded down the hall of the Beacon Academy dormitory section, Ruby peered about the academy she had been in for the last three years, only needing one more to finish her schooling and become a huntress. The girl was now seventeen, on the verge of becoming eighteen. It was such a mature age yet she still acted like a fifteen-year-old, her voice hadn't change a bit, neither had her body. Apart from the same traits she had had, her battle prowess made a lot of progress, her teamwork improved, she had better focus and efficiency. Ruby was an experienced fighter, and all the more deadly for her two years of training. As she moved for Ozpin's tower, none of these thoughts ran through her head, except for an independent, nagging question at the back of her mind.

This inquiry inquired particularly about Weiss, she had been acting reserved, contemplative the whole week, for an anonymous reason. Although, Yang had been teasing both Weiss and Ruby the last month about relationships. Maybe she was uncomfortable? Ruby herself felt dense for not knowing the reason why, she had lived, fought, trained, and studied with this one person as her partner for nigh on three years, yet she still wasn't able to read her. Weiss read Ruby as easily as Blake read her erotic ninja novels, so why couldn't Ruby do the same back? As she walked into the elevator that led to the top of the tower of Beacon, Ruby hummed out a monotonous note, irritated by the thought. Setting her sights forward towards the elevator door as it flew ever upward, Ruby swept the thought away for the time being. Why did Ozpin call her there again? Oh wait, it was about the last mission.

Team RWBY had been dispatched on the outskirts of Vale City, where a growing mass of Grimm had been gathering. What for, nobody seemed to know, but there had been a recent spike in crime rates in and around the city. The Grimm convened in a nearby forest, which had been battered by storms in the last few weeks. No one was wearing combat skirts anymore. The team, collectively, was wearing a pair of combat boots, camouflaged cargo pants, and a matching colored operational thermal top, as well as whatever else one of the team had dragged along with them. During the mission, they had encountered the Grimm head on, preemptively of course. They set up a distraction to spread them out along four areas of the forest and trap them, then divide to finish the rest off. Ruby's attack had been somewhat miscalculated, leaving the leader to take on the largest part of the Grimm. Yang, Blake, and Weiss attempted to help, but by the time the rest of the group had gotten to Ruby, she had already finished off the last Grimm. As the group, relieved, left to return to Beacon, they had been confronted by Adam Taurus. The former leader of the White Fang before it disbanded. This was due to infighting and chaos within the group and had been caused by espionage and tactical weakening of their forces contributed by different teams across Remnant. Taurus, being the headstrong and easily suspicious Faunus that he was, suspected team RWBY of this and attempted to fight Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang at once. The team easily apprehended the man and turned him into local authorities, they got back to Beacon quickly and comfortably. Ozpin had already had the report but seemed to need extra information. Ruby stepped out of the elevator onto the glass overlayed platform, still amazed by the large gear that made it up. Ozpin looked up at her, a neutral expression on his complexion.

"Ruby, I assume you know what this matter is about?"

She answered, " Yes sir,"

Nodding, he continued, "So when you caught Adam Taurus, did he have any items that seemed suspicious in his possession?"

Ruby shook her head, "No sir, only his weapons, Wilt and Blush,"

Ozpin laughed, "What a name, I always wondered why people named their weapons. Either way, when you turned him in, the police said that he had this..." Pulling an item from his desk, as if out of thin air, he held out his hand. A rounded, disc-like amulet, talismans carved onto the surface, it hung on a platinum chain.

"The last time we saw this necklace, it was in the ownership of Salem. She had been attempting to locate the four maidens and steal their power, this was before she had developed her parasitic beetle Grimm," Ozpin looked to the Amulet

"So why didn't she keep it?"

"Oh, she intended to, but we sent a team to take her out, they didn't kill her, but they took the amulet and ran,"

"The amulet is more powerful than the parasitic Grimm?"

"Yes, more efficient, if Cinder had this when she stole the powers from the Fall maiden, then she would've been the new one,"

"Oh,"

Ozpin sighed, "If this has turned up with Adam Taurus, either he came upon some very valuable loot, or he's working with Salem to locate the four maidens. This'll stay in our possession unless needed, which it shouldn't. If you find anything that seems suspicious, bring it straight back to me,"

Ruby nodded, "Yes sir,"

The headmaster waved his hand and looked back to his work, "Dismissed,"

Ruby turned around and walked into the elevator, a _ding_ sounded as she began to descend back to the main campus.

Weiss, Yang, and Blake were in the cafeteria by the time Ruby got there, they spoke quietly to each other. Strangely enough, the cafeteria wasn't as loud as usual, everybody kept their voice low when usually, it was rowdy. Puzzled, Ruby walked to her team and sat beside them, they turned, Yang, being first to speak,

"Hey Sis, when are we accepting a new mission? It's getting boring going to classes around here," She asked with her mouth full.

The other two nodded, agreeing, Ruby shrugged, "I don't know Yang, I'm trying to find a good one, something that'll be a challenge,"

Yang groaned, "More challenges? Can't we do something easy for once?"

Ruby shook her head, "Nope! We were top of our class last year, I aim at being the best when we graduate, so we have to work hard to achieve it,"

Peering around, Blake noted teams, "The only ones who are real competition are CFVY, JNPR, and maybe CDRL, unless you want to count SSSN which just transferred to Beacon,"

Grinning, Yang broke in, "Well, I suppose I like challenges, at least it'll give me something to unload into,"

Ruby cocked an eyebrow, "And what could be getting you so pent up Yang?"

"Nothing, I've just been extremely frustrated with the courses they're having us take"

Her nose now in a book, Blake spoke, "Hunters and Huntresses need to be strong as well as smart, just deal Yang,"

All nodded, Yang shrugged, still, Weiss spoke not one bit throughout the whole conversation.

Now back in their dorm, team RWBY gathered around their leader's scroll. All of them pointed, commented on certain missions but Ruby disagreed, it wasn't until Weiss finally suggested one that Ruby did agree, "This one seems neutral," She commented, "besides, it's in Atlas, then Mimar, we haven't been to those places during any of our missions," Ruby nodded, Yang shrugged, Blake did nothing, reading her book. Tapping the "Accept" option on the screen of her scroll, Ruby stood, "We should probably pack a few things, it seems we'll be staying there a few days there and then through Mimar to Shade Academy,"

The order this time was instead of attacking a force, they would be defending a force, the Atlas military would be transporting munitions to Vacuo, it would start in Atlas as the preparations began, in the air, and then to Mimar as they landed so they could head back to Atlas and refuel. Finally, it would be across Mimar and through the upper reaches of the Vacuan desert to Shade.

Team RWBY packed small cases of clothes and traveling essentials, their garments consisted of mostly warm, waterproof tops and bottoms, the occasional light clothing packed just in case. Intel said that Mimar was a humid, rainy, mostly unmapped area, this was noted by all of the team, mostly Weiss, who had realized her folly, and Yang, who hated anything colder than seventy-five degrees. Ruby and Blake were generally neutral about the undertaking, the only objection from Blake, who disliked large amounts of water. Ruby didn't expect many threats, she chose this mission expecting something easy and, although unexciting, laid back.

However, she couldn't have been even more wrong about that thought.

 **THERE IT IS! Finished this chapter, next will be added... sometime.**

 **So how'd you guys like it? No? Meh? Yes?**

 **Oh, by the way, if possible PM me or tell me in reviews, was this too short and if so what is the average word count for an average fanfic writer?**


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